The fight continues 23-Aug
Om Prakash Yadav, an independent MP from Siwan in Bihar, participates in a sit-in protest in support of anti-corruption activists Anna Hazare on the premises of the Parliament in New Delhi.
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Stories about OM
In 2004, Om Prakash Yadav contested the general elections as a JD-U party candidate and lost to Shahabuddin, who was also in jail then, but could fight elections since he was yet to be convicted. There was widespread intimidation, and opponents were not able to campaign effectively because of an aura of fear.[5] Despite this, Om Prakash managed to get more than 2 lakh votes against Shahabuddin. Subsequently there was widespread violence against his the-then JD-U party
For the crime of having dared put up a credible fight, nine JD workers were killed in the days following the election. Yadav was assigned a team of eight bodyguards.[6]
Om Prakash Yadav himself had to flee his hometown of Lalji near Siwan, and wait out the ganglord's anger while the newly elected state government worked on providing him security.
2009 elections
2009 elections
In the 2009 elections, his main opponent Hena Shahab never campaigned, showing herself in public only at a few meetings with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and their star campaigner, movie actor Sanjay Dutt. She never spoke at the huge rallies, but only waved her hand.[7] It was clear that the campaign was being run in Shahabuddin's name, by his well-oiled election machinery, though many of his gang members, such as Rustam Mia, Dhruv Jayaswal, Shubrati Mia, Munsi Mia and others were in Siwan jail. [8]
Also, since Nitish Kumar came to power in Bihar in 2005, he set up fast track courts that have sent 14,000 criminals to jail, and the atmosphere of intimidation appears to have eased up considerably.[9] So much so, that even criminal-politicians put up JD-U - Prabhunath Singh of Maharajganj and Munna Shukla of Vaishali, also lost.
My thoughts are with you!
An Indian politician from Bihar. In the Indian General Election, 2009, he was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha from Siwan (Lok Sabha Constituency), by defeating Hena Shahab by a margin over 63,000 votes.[1] Mrs. Shahab, the wife of India's most infamous criminal politician Mohammad Shahabuddin, was widely viewed as a proxy for him.[2] Shahabuddin himself is serving life-imprisonment in jail, having been convicted for murder.
Yadav was a member and contested elections for Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) party. However, in 2009, he was not selected to as the party candidate from Siwan and was replaced by Brishin Patel, who was perceived to be close to Nitish Kumar as he belonged to the same Kurmi caste, and had also won the seat in 1991. However, Brishin had lost touch - he polled 7% of the votes[3]; this may count among Nitish's major errors in the elections. Om Prakash decided to fight the elections as an Independent, and Siwan became one of the few seats in Bihar that did not go to the JD(U)-BJP alliance.
As an independent candidate, Om Prakash Yadav may be supporting the Indian National Congress led coalition.
From:
Om Prakash
Mr Om Prakash Yadav, the Janata Dal (United) candidate who gave him a tough fight, had himself to flee the constituency after Shahabuddin's supporters celebrated their victory by attacking his house. If this was meant to be foretaste of future events, what followed was infinitely more horrific. Several people who worked for the JD(U) candidate have been murdered. Their ranks include Harendra Kushawaha, Mukhia of Bhanta Pokhar village, Manan Singh, a former Mukhia of Nikharpur village, and JD(U) supporters Yogendra Sah, Dharmanath Yadav, and Tarakeshwar Tiwari. A number of others have been beaten up brutally. The reign of terror, which continues unchecked, raises two basic questions. The first pertains to the holding of free and fair elections.
So sad.
Arjun
From:
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